Core for receiving-sheet material

Abstract

A core for receiving sheet material, which core comprises a tube ( 2 ), a first end member ( 4 ) which extends into a first end of the tube ( 2 ), and a second end member which extends into a second end of the tube ( 2 ), and the core being such that the tube is formed of a plurality of part circular tube portions ( 6 ) which are connected together along longitudinally extending edges ( 8 ), and the first and the second end members are each formed of a plurality of part circular end member portions ( 10 ) which are connected together along longitudinally extending edges ( 12 ).

1 . A core for receiving sheet material, which core comprises a tube, a first end member which extends into a first end of the tube, and a second end member which extends into a second end of the tube, and the core being such that the tube is formed of a plurality of part circular tube portions which are connected together along longitudinally extending edges, and the first and second end members are each formed of a plurality of a plurality of part circular end member portions which are connected together along longitudinally extending edges. 
   
   
       2 . A core according to  claim 1  in which the longitudinally extending edges on the part circular tube portions have engaging formations for engaging adjacent longitudinally extending edges, and in which the engaging formations on the part circular tube portions extend inwardly of the tube. 
   
   
       3 . A core according to  claim 2  in which the engaging formations on the longitudinally extending edges of the part circular tube portions are connected together by welding, screw fasteners, rivets or clips. 
   
   
       4 . A core according to  claim 2  in which the engaging formation on the part circular tube portions form strengthening splines which extend from an inner surface of the tube. 
   
   
       5 . A core according to  claim 1  in which the part circular tube portions each has a longitudinally extending groove comprising a base wall, a pair of side walls and a top wall, and in which the longitudinally extending grooves at the first and second ends of the tube are for receiving the first and the second end members respectively. 
   
   
       6 . A core according to  claim 5  in which the longitudinally extending grooves do not extend the full length of the tube. 
   
   
       7 . A core according to  claim 6  in which the longitudinally extending grooves only extend longitudinally inwardly from the first and the second ends of the tube for a distance slightly longer than the length of the first and the second end members that are in the tube. 
   
   
       8 . A core according to  claim 2  in which the longitudinally extending edges of the part circular end member portions have dove tail joint formations whereby the part circular end member portions are connected together by dove tail joints. 
   
   
       9 . A core according to  claim 1  in which the longitudinal edges on the part circular tube portions are welded together, and in which the part circular tube portions are each provided on their inner surface with a plurality of longitudinally extending strengthening formations. 
   
   
       10 . A core according to  claim 9  in which the longitudinally extending strengthening formations are each T-shaped in cross section. 
   
   
       11 . A core according to  claim 9  in which the tube has forty-eight of the longitudinally extending strengthening formations. 
   
   
       12 . A core according to  claim 9  in which the first and the second end members have finger formations which locate in or between the longitudinally extending strengthening formations on the part circular tube portions. 
   
   
       13 . A core according to  claim 1  in which the tube is made of aluminum. 
   
   
       14 . A core according to  claim 1  in which the core is larger than 200 mm in diameter. 
   
   
       15 . A core according to  claim 1  in which the first and the second end members are made of a plastics material. 
   
   
       16 . A core according to  claim 1  and including a radio frequency identification tag.